2010 Lake Placid Camp Report

Awesome camp here in Lake Placid! The weather has been unbelievably cooperative (sunny in the low 80's with light winds) as we enter day two. In the 11 or so years we've held this camp, we've had incredible weather like this only a few times.

Day one (Friday) included a 7 am 30 minute swim in Mirror Lake. The water temp is around 62 deg. F, so everyone wore wetsuits. Our swim coaches included Brian Benda (2-time Chesapeake Bay Swim Winner) and age group elite triathlete, OJ Keller. They helped everyone with sighting drills and got us going. Even I enjoyed the swim!

After grabbing some breakfast, we gathered to head out on our long bike ride. Due to course changes, (the bridge on the out and back on Haselton Road is under construction), we opted to cut that portion out. Most athletes did a full 100 miles, with a few opting for one loop. The temps were up there, so it was a tough day in the saddle. Geezzz... LP is a tough bike course! The incredible scenery makes up for the suffering one encounters...especially on the stretch of road from Wilmington back to LP with a head wind blowing you back.

Our support this year is again provided by TriSpeed Multisport. For our 18 campers, we have a SAG Vehicle complete with full mechanical gear as well as two motorbikes on the course. I want to thank Mike and his crew for their continued support of our annual LP camp.

At 5pm we gathered for a lecture, going over the course route and talking about training for Ironman. Our campers this year come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, so everyone learned something and contributed their personal insights/experiences.

Today starts soon with another 30 minute swim in Mirror Lake. Then, we saddle up to do the bike course in the opposite direction... a crowd favorite! (NOT!). The hardest part is of course the climb back into LP, which includes about 6 miles of 'tempo'. Our legs are tired from the 100 miler yesterday, so it'll be interesting! After the ride, the plan is to transition to a 30-45 minute run around the lake. After training today, we'll have another lecture followed by a group dinner.

Lake Placid is an unbelievably beautiful place and one of my favorite places to train and visit. I hope you can check it out someday if you've not done so already!

Train smart,
Coach Troy